Henkt thompson



@auch gieten ntset @fitte HENRY THOMPSON, OF VYOCENA, WISCONSIN.

Letters Patent No. 69,141, dated Sepz'cmer 24, 1867 ein tlgrhult nicht tu in llgtse items lntnit mit mailling putt nf tige 5min.

T() ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, HENRY THOMPSON, of Wyocena, in the county otCoiumbia, and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which represents a vertical nnld longitudinal section of' my improved machine.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings, A represents the box or vessel for containing the clothes to be washed, supported by legs (t. A fifth leg, is fastened to the bottom of tl1e`box A, by hinges c, and is kept in o. horizontal position bya. turn-buckle, d. Across the box, and supported in journals f on each side of the same, runs a rock-shaft, B, supporting a level', C, which carries a cross-lever, D, at its upper end. This cross-lever is forked at each end, and is provided with handles E. The lower end of lever C is connected with a cross-bar, Gr, made of brass or galvanized iron, to prevent injury to the clothes by rust, the ends of said bar being bent in theA shape of a hollow cylinder or thimble, which fit into the centres of two wooden blocks, H, which perform the work of washing. These blocks extend across the whole width of box A, und are supported by small wheels orrollers-I, which run upon a brass or other` metal plate, K, placed on the bottom of the box to prevent wear and friction. The outer ends or faces of the blocks II are horizontally grooved, so to form a number of dove-tailed steps, LLLL, the lowest of which has its lower end reversed, forming an edge 'which catches the clothes and prevents them from being drawn under the blocks H. The ends of the box A are lined with sheet zine or other metal, L, corrugated in the manner of wash-board linings.

The operation oi' this machine is as follows: When the clothes have been put in the vessel and sutlie-iently soaked with suds to sink, the lever C is moved back and forth by the handles E, which communicates motion t0 the blocks H by means of the bar G. By means of this back-and-forth motion of the blocks H a vacuum is alternately formed in each end ofV the box, into which the clothes are drawn, `and are seized by the projecting steps on the ends of the blocks, which press them firmly against the toothed lining and expel the suds from them. Tile back-and-forth motion ofthe blocks continuing, a vacuum is again formed, into which afresh supply of suds is drawn, and the operation of pressing repeated, the clothes at the same time receiving a hard rubbing against the toothed lining L. When the clothes are washed, and it is desired to draw of the suds, the buckle d is turned, and the leg b allowed to fall down, which,` being longer tha-n the stationary legs a, will incline the box sufficiently to allow the water to run off through the drain pipe e at the opposite end of the box.y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The combination of lever C, eross-bnr G, blocks I-I H, and toothed lining L, arranged, constructed, and operating in the manner substantially as shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

HENRY THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

R. C. Rocuwooo, N. COAPMAN. 

